Assault alleged on cruise

Police are investigating a complaint of indecent assault from a female passenger on a luxury cruise liner.

Detective Sergeant Pete Blackwell said police were investigating the passenger's complaint of being indecently assaulted by a crew member several days ago while the 294m Millennium was at sea.

Millennium, which had sailed from Fiji, berthed in Tauranga on Friday morning and sailed on to Auckland yesterday. It is to embark for Sydney today.

The passenger, in her late 40s or early 50s, alleged she was indecently assaulted while the ship was near Fiji. The woman alerted the ship's captain and police were then informed. Tauranga police began investigations when the ship docked there, Blackwell said.

He said detectives were still completing their inquiries, and the captain and staff member at the centre of the allegations had been fully co-operating with police.

No decision had yet been made on whether the crew member was likely to face charges.